a chuckle.
When the dishes were all set, the maidens bowed slightly and with wide smiles exited the room the way they had come.
“Our women are built as sturdy as the mountains themselves,” noted the king. “You should know, Whill, that you are one of the very few outsiders who has ever laid eyes upon them. We love and guard our women as fiercely as we do our treasure, for they are the givers of life, the greatest gift bestowed upon us from the gods.”
Whill regretted his earlier thoughts and wondered for a foolish moment if the king had read his mind. “I am honored once again, good king. They are indeed a treasure.”
The king eyed Whill for a moment. “Fret not, young Whill, fer years I too have pondered the mystery o’ how they stay on their feet.”
Whill flushed as he realized that his eyes had given him away. He began to stutter a response but the king interrupted. “But how I do love to investigate the many aspects o’that mystery!” His chuckle grew into all-out, barrel-bellied laughter. Abram and Roakore joined in and the room soon filled with the echoes of laughter, including Whill’s.
As the laughter finally died down the king took a piece of roasted duck from one of the dishes and bit into it fiercely. “Eat up, friends, and tell me the tale o’ your meeting and the battle with the Draggard.”
As they ate, Whill, Abram, and Roakore took turns telling the tale. The food was good and the wine sweet. Before them sat a feast of roasted duck, boiled goose eggs, strips of fried wild boar, ham, cakes, pastries, coffee, juices, goat’s and cow’s milk, and various fruits and bread. Whill found that he had a monstrous appetite, and knew that it was due to the healing of his leg. The king listened intently, complimenting Whill’s genius in using the diamonds as bait, and grunting approvingly at the ways the Draggard had been dispatched.
When they had finished eating, Abram took out his pipe, as was his habit after a good meal, and so did Roakore and Ky’Ell. The king gestured to Whill with his pipe. “Do ye smoke, lad?”
Hoping not to offend him, Whill answered truthfully, “No, thank you. I never acquired a taste for it myself, but I do enjoy the smell of another’s.”
“Very well.” The king puffed and blew a large smoke-ring into the air, and quickly sent another smaller one through the middle.
“Now for business.” He sat up in his chair. “What of the invitation I have received from Kell-Torrey?” He asked Abram.
“King Mathus of Eldalon has summoned all kings of Agora to a secret meeting to be held within his castle in Kell-Torey, also the elf queen of Elladrindellia. He has not, however, invited King Addakon of Uthen-Arden.” He paused and glanced at Whill. “In his place Mathus has asked that Whill attend, being the rightful king.”
King Ky’Ell scowled. “The elf queen? I’ll be damned if I enter the company of an elf.”
Abram feared that the mention of Queen Araveal would now hamper the true message of the meeting. Abram went on cautiously. “Please, Ky’Ell, hear me out.” Ky’Ell nodded and puffed on his pipe. “Addakon of Uthen-Arden has invaded Isladon. There has been no word from King Fenious for weeks. King Mathus has decided to hold this meeting under my council. He believes, as do I, that King Addakon intends to take over all of Agora, including the mountains of the dwarves.”
Ky’Ell choked on his smoke. “Bah! The snake can try, but he’ll not find it an easy task. He is flanked on both sides by dwarf mountains.”
Abram continued. “That is not all. When Whill’s parents were killed, I was there. So was Addakon. It was he who saw to it.”
Ky’Ell nodded impatiently. “Yes, yes, ye told me the tale.”
“What I failed to tell you was that the ambush was performed by a host of Draggard.”
The king was dumbfounded. “Twenty years ago?”
Abram nodded. “Yes. It is my strong belief that Addakon has made allies with the beasts. I can only begin to guess to what extent, but if he has waited this long to act on his desires, I can only assume that he has been amassing a Draggard army. Worse yet, he could be in alliance with the Dark elf of legend, Eadon.”
Ky’Ell spat on the floor at the mention of Eadon, the Dark elf who had crossed dragon and elf and brought the Draggard into existence. “Then the elves of Elladrindellia are in on it also, the scum! Brought the dragon half- breeds here to take our treasures, eh?”
“No!” Abram interrupted. “If you value me as a friend and know me to be a man of truth, listen to my words! The elves of Elladrindellia have more hatred for the Draggard than even the dwarves do. They are not in league with the Dark elves. Their people were slaughtered and driven from Drindellia those hundreds of years ago by the Draggard.”
“Bah! A lie built to hide their true intent! I’d wager they aim to take over Agora themselves, an’ enslave us all with the help o’ the Draggard scum. Yer deluded, Abram. Ye believe a lie!”
Whill shifted uncomfortably in his chair. The tension in the air had become suffocating since the mention of the elves. He feared that Ky’Ell would erupt with rage. Roakore watched the exchange too, but his face showed that he was on the side of the king.
Abram put his hands aside his head in frustration. “If you will not listen to me, then listen to logic. If the elves of Elladrindellia are what you say, then why have they waited over five hundred years to strike? Wouldn’t they rather have amassed their army long ago and crushed Agora from all sides? Would they show up claiming to be refugees, only to wait hundreds of years before attacking?”
Calmer now, the king pondered for a moment. “I know that ye believe in what ye say, an’ if yer correct, Agora will have a valuable ally in the elves o’ Elladrindellia. But think for a moment. What if yer wrong, an’ the king has invited a spy in the form o’ the elf queen to the meeting? Then all is folly, an’ the enemy will know our every move.”
“Well met, Ky’Ell. But I would wager my life that the queen and her people are good, and do indeed hate the Draggard as fiercely as yourself.”
The king leaned forward and puffed his pipe. “On what grounds would ye make such a wager?”
Abram looked at Whill. “On the grounds that if the elves were indeed in league with Addakon, they never would have let Whill live. But in fact they saved his life!”
The king scowled as he eyed Abram, then Whill, but did not speak. Abram went on. “When I took Whill from that bloody field, he was barely alive, as was I. I brought him to Elladrindellia and the queen herself healed our wounds. She knew who he was, yet she helped. So I ask you, good king of Dy-Kore, why would an ally to Addakon let live his rival to the throne?”
Ky’Ell leaned back in his chair. Even Roakore seemed stumped. Whill watched with anticipation as the silence thickened. Abram, however, crossed his arms and sat back in his chair, his pipe hanging from his mouth. He seemed to know he had won. Finally the king spoke.
“Ye present a good argument, Abram, one which I cannot dispute. But know that I remain wary.” He puffed on his pipe, but finding it spent, he put it down gruffly and began packing it again. “Enough o’ this bickering. Let us assume fer now that what ye say be true. What does King Mathus propose?”
“That is the purpose of the meeting. He would like to present the facts of Addakon and the Draggard to all, and hear what each has to say. But one thing I do know: he believes that unity alone will ensure our victory in the coming war.”
Ky’Ell did not look convinced. “I understand that Uthen-Arden be the largest kingdom o’ men, an’ that they boast the largest army o’ all. But it don’t outnumber the combined armies o’ the others, and a disadvantage to Uthen-Arden to be flanked from all sides by the surrounding kingdoms. Surely it will be an easy defeat. I doubt also that the soldiers o’ Uthen-Arden will have much heart fer battle under a ruler such as Addakon. It is well known that he is hated by most of his people.”
“You are correct in your assessment of the situation, but you lack understanding.” He looked at Roakore. “I believe that when the Draggard took over your mountain twenty years ago, it was under the command of Addakon.” Roakore tensed as Abram let the statement set in. “I also believe that the purpose of the attack was to set up a base for the Draggard army. It is my theory that within the great halls of your fathers lies a Draggard queen. For these twenty long years, I suspect, the Draggard army has been steadily growing, hidden within the mountain, waiting to be unleashed.”
Roakore was speechless but his rage was apparent. The King looked at Abram, wide-eyed. “How many, do
